1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing apparatus included in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and a printer that forms an image on a recording medium by adopting an electrophotography system and a process cartridge detachable from the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrophotography includes reproducing an original document by light bounced directly from the original to produce an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductive member. The electrostatic latent image is made visible by development using a developer bearing member, such as a rotatable cylinder, to support and transport dry developer material to a position where it is attracted to the latent image by an electrostatic force. Developing apparatuses whose product life has been reached and process cartridges (hereinafter, referred to as “cartridges”) are separated by part and material for recycling. For example, a developer bearing member as a process unit is cleaned and inspected to be reused as a process unit or materials for recycling. Product designs considering improvement of disassembly properties of parts are demanded to simplify disassembly and the recycling process and to improve efficiency thereof.
Conventionally, for disassembly of a cartridge or removal of recycling target parts, as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-33271, a container frame is cut or a supporting member is removed. Moreover, when a container frame is cut by laser, as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-263550, high efficiency of disassembly and recycling process is realized by protecting the recycling target parts by a resin material hard to be cut by laser and configuring the surrounding thereof by a resin material easy to be cut by laser.
In the process cartridge discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-33271, when a photosensitive drum is removed from a bearing member of the photosensitive drum, the photosensitive drum can be removed from a cleaning frame after the bearing member is removed from the cleaning frame by loosening screws. In this case, if the photosensitive drum can be removed without removing the bearing member from the cleaning frame, the convenience for the user will be increased.
In a process cartridge discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-263550, there is a burden that reusable resin products must be cut by laser. In this case, if cutting by laser becomes unnecessary, the convenience for the user will be increased.